Paul Krugman and the Apparatchik Delusion

One of the great delights of anyone’s week should be reading a Paul Krugman column in the New York Times. It’s like watching the Titanic, slowly sinking into the icy North Atlantic, with Paul at the helm as Capt. Smith, yelling through the mouthpiece, FULL SPEED AHEAD, BLAST YOU!

Great black comedy (no offense NAACP).

Most interesting in yesterday’s column is Krugman’s use of the Communist appellation “apparatchik” — speak of the pot calling the kettle black — in describing capitalists’ opposition to the most Marxist inspired legislation in U.S. history, Obamacare. Specifically the now confirmed death panel provisions of the law.

Paul thinks they’re AOK.

Krugman [excerpted]

Aaron Carroll reads the Wall Street Journal, which is outraged, outraged, at the prospect that Oregon’s Medicaid system might seek to limit spending on treatments with low effectiveness and/or patients who aren’t going to live much longer in any case. Death panels!

Carroll points us to the actual staff recommendation, which is far milder than the WSJ blast would have you believe. But as Carroll points out, the larger point is the absurdity of the Journal’s position. On one side, it’s fanatically opposed to Medicaid expansion — that is, it’s eager to make sure that millions have no health coverage at all. On the other side, it claims to be outraged at the notion of setting priorities in spending on those who do manage to qualify for Medicaid. It’s OK for people to die for lack of coverage; it’s an utter horror if taxpayers decline to pay for marginal care…

Now, the Journal isn’t really confused on this point. Surely it understands the difference between rationing care and limiting public spending on care. The point, however, is to confuse readers, and make them think that spending controls on Medicaid are the same thing as having bureaucrats pronounce death sentences on the middle class. [more lefty drivel here]

Krugman (the real apparat here) does have a point, but who cares. He, you see, will never be a victim of Obamacare death panels or, as he phrases it, “limiting public spending on care.” Even if, God forbid, he is stricken with a catastrophic disease. Under Obamacare people like Krugman have naught to fear; their coverage will never change.

It is only you and I who must carry the burden of dying before our time because some deadbeat crack dealer in Harlem or Detroit won’t find honest work.

This is the stuff of Nobel laureates, folks. And Paul Krugman is to economics what Barack H. Obama is to peace. Neither has any practical experience with either.

Krugman has never even operated a shoeshine stand, and Obama’s closest association with peace is the peaceful night’s sleep he apparently had when four brave Americans were dying because of his administration’s incompetence in Benghazi.

PLACES TO BE SEEN

The Other McCain

Missing Teen Hannah Anderson Rescued After FBI Shoots and Kills Her Kidnapper

Robert Stacy McCain Sorting Out Sluts For Us:

Yes, Ma’am, However …

WRONG. WRONG. WRONG.

Blame Joan of Arc

Thank you RSM!

Breitbart

PALIN ON CHRISTIE VS. PAUL: I’M ON ‘TEAM RAND’

Hot Air

The great experiment. Time for Cruz, King or Palin in 2016

h/t Drudge